today. we must protect ourselves from our protectors. citizens from officers laypeople from scholars children from parents women from men wives from husbands husbands from wives and our souls from ourselves. —excerpt of even if. by Umm Zakiyyah The other day I read this post online, and it immediately hit my heart: Sometimes people pretend you’re a bad person …

“It takes a whole village to raise a child.” —African proverb The more I heal emotionally and spiritually, the more my heart realizes that my healing journey is so much bigger than me. Yes, it’s a nourishment I owe my own soul first and foremost. But it’s also a nourishment I owe my loved ones and my sisters and brothers …

“Why is it always the ones inflicting the harm that trivialize the extent of the wound?” —from the journal of Umm Zakiyyah The “Healing in Solitude” reflections offer a glimpse into the heart of Umm Zakiyyah, as she continues her emotional healing journey during the social distancing lockdown amidst the coronavirus epidemic. Each journal reflection represents a “new day” in …

“Sometimes in order to love yourself properly, you have to be willing to be hated by the ones you love. This isn’t easy for those who care deeply.” —Khalil Ismail, founder of The Measured Path The “Healing in Solitude” reflections offer a glimpse into the heart of Umm Zakiyyah, as she continues her emotional healing journey during the social distancing …

“Suffering is a means of purification. Solitude is a means of clarification. And loss—whether of companionship, wealth, or even comfort itself—is a means of enrichment. It is a gift.” —from the journal of Umm Zakiyyah The “Healing in Solitude” reflections offer a glimpse into the heart of Umm Zakiyyah, as she continues her emotional healing journey during the social distancing …

“If Allah loves a person, He calls out to [the angel] Gabriel, saying, ‘Allah loves so-and-so, O Gabriel, so love him.’ So Gabriel loves him and then announces in the Heavens: ‘Allah has loved so and-so, therefore love him.’ So all the dwellers of the Heavens would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on …

“We tend to see the world in binary terms—sinner or saint, angel or devil—but I think life is much more nuanced than that.” —Judy Smith, Good Self, Bad Self The “Healing in Solitude” reflections offer a glimpse into the heart of Umm Zakiyyah, as she continues her emotional healing journey during the social distancing lockdown amidst the coronavirus epidemic. Each …

“O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (i.e. the Quran), and a healing for that which is in your breasts, a guidance and a mercy for the believers.” —Qur’an (Yunus, 10:57) In some of my moments of spiritual confusion, I’ve wondered why so many of us are born into cultures and lands with no …

“And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.” — Qur’an (Adh-Dhaariyaat, 51:55) In seeking to teach our hearts true love for the sake of Allah, it is important to remember that ultimately, this is an emaan issue rooted in the spiritual state of a person’s heart more than anything else. This spiritual reality is conveyed in the prophetic hadith: …

“We should be talking about more important things!” No matter what topic I (or my brothers and sisters in da’wah) speak about, this is the typical response. I think on this now because a friend of mine recently sent me a post where a Muslim called the topic of homosexuality “stupid” to be concerned about, even if the concern is …